Cyclones FB Bowls Over Creston Behind 3TD from Redmon, 56-35

Cyclones FB Bowls Over Creston Behind 3TD from Redmon, 56-35 -

(10-3-25) – Run Ayden, RUN!

That’s exactly what Ayden Redmon did as he rushed for 243 yards and 3 touchdowns in Harlan Community’s 56-35 win over Creston.

Cyclone Coach Todd Bladt knows the importance of establishing the running game.

“That's what we were focusing on all week. We knew we wanted to run the ball, and if we could run the ball effectively and keep running the ball effectively, we didn't need to go through the air. So that's kind of how it turned out.”

Landon Nihsen with 2 touchdowns including a 66-yard punt return. The punt return was part of 28 consecutive points by Harlan Community and gave the Cyclones the spark they needed according to Bladt.

“The punt return was a big, big play. Kind of got things rolling in our right direction.”

Redmon would then get his first score on 77-yd run. A Ray Schechinger interception gave Harlan Community field position at the Creston 18 and led to Shane Cooper scoring from 5-yd out.

Creston would get a score on a Jackson Pettigrew touchdown and then recovered an onside kick, driving down the Cyclone 6 before being stopped on downs.

“The defensive stand down on the goal line was a huge, huge play,” Bladt said. “That whole scenario when they got down there, if they scored, they're back in the ball game. But we were able to thwart that and then march down the field and go up 21 in the half. That was a big momentum swing for sure.”

It would become a 94-yd drive that ended in a Nihsen 30-yd TD reception from Gabe Arkfeld.

Harlan Community would double up to start the 2nd half as Brody Bendorf got his 2nd TD of the game ending a 12 play, 80-yd scoring drive that put the Cyclone up by 28.

Creston would get back into the game with a Jace Purdum TD reception and a Tanner Ray TD, cutting their deficit to 42-28.

Then Redmon would take over, scoring twice more from 11 and 39-yds out to secure the Cyclones victory.

The victory gives Harlan Community a 2-4 record and 1-1 record in the district. Bladt knows that every game for the rest of the season are must-win contests.

“It was a playoff game tonight, so that's the way we treated it. That's how we treated it with prep, and that's what we're going to have to do this next week as well.”

The Cyclones will face Perry in their Homecoming game on Friday.

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